Topological Non-Hermitian Origin of Surface Maxwell Waves

Explore the topological non-Hermitian origin of surface Maxwell waves in this 47-minute lecture by Franco Nori from the PCS Institute for Basic Science. Delve into the fascinating world of Maxwell electromagnetism and its application to surface electromagnetic waves at interfaces between optical media. Discover how these waves, crucial in plasmonics, metamaterials, and nano-photonics, have a topological origin explained by the bulk-boundary correspondence. Learn about the importance of the helicity operator in topological classification and its non-Hermitian nature in lossless optical media. Understand the Z4 number topological invariant that determines the number of surface modes and its relation to the complex helicity spectrum. Gain insights into various areas of wave physics, including Maxwell electromagnetism, topological quantum states, non-Hermitian wave physics, and metamaterials. Follow the lecture's structure, covering topics such as Maxwell equations, topological surface models, surface acoustic and electromagnetic waves, Klein-Gordon equation, and acoustic analogy.